Cable operating means for ridge ventilator



Oct. 26, 1965 w. E. ADAMS 3,213,776

CABLE OPERATING MEANS FOR RIDGE VENTILATOR Filed July 3, 1963 INVENTORWILLIAM E. ADAMS United States Patent 3,213,776 CABLE OPERATING MEANSFOR RIDGE VENTILATOR William E. Adams, Wexford, Pa., assignor to H. H.Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania FiledJuly 3, 1963, Ser. No. 292,545 1 Claim. (Cl. 9842) This inventionconcerns an improved ridge ventilator having cable operating means foropennig, closing and positioning the movable components.

Ridge ventilators are well known in the building industry. They areprovided along the ridge of a pitched roof and provide adjustableopenings for the escape of gases and fumes from the interior of abuilding. Typical ridge ventilators are described in the following U.S.patents: 2,072,461; 2,096,123; 2,096,124; 2,122,530; and 2,266,261. Allof the foregoing US. patents illustrate ridge ventilators which includea ridge cap member and a vertically rising damper element which ispositioned beneath the ridge cap.

In US. Patent 2,231,557, there is illustrated a ridge ventilator whichutilizes a single member to serve as the ridge cap and also as thevertically rising damper. The present invention concerns such ridgeventilators wherein a single element serves as both a ridge cap and avertically rising damper element.

Statement of invention This invention concerns ridge ventilators havinga casing formed from longitudinal side walls and opposed end walls. Achimney or throat is provided between the side walls. A generallyhorizontal ventilator opening is provided above the chimney between theside walls. A cap member is adapted to move between a lowermost positionwhich is substantially in contact with the upper rim of the chimney toan uppermost position between the chimney rim and the ventilatoropening. When the cap member is spaced above its lowermost position, agas flow passageway is provided upwardly from the interior of thebuilding through the chimney, around the side edges of the cap memberand thereupon upwardly through the ventilator opening. At all times thegas passageway is between the longitudinal side walls of the ventilator.

Such ventilators heretofore have been provided with elaborate mechanicalstructures for controlling the vertical location of and movement of thecap member. Such ventilators moreover have been diflicult to maintainbecause of relative inaccessibility of the component elements. Majordismantling has been required to accomplish repair work on theventilators.

The present invention provides a relatively simple cable operator meansfor controlling the vertical location of and movement of the cap member.In addition the present cap member is readily removable for access tothe cable operator means in the event repairs are required.

Objects The principal object of this invention is to provide arelatively simple cable operating means for a ridge ventilator.

A further object is to provide a ridge ventilator which has a readilyremovable cap member for access to the cable operator means.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description by reference to the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a typical buildinghaving a pitched roof and a ridge ventilator;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective illustration of a sectional fragment of atypical ridge ventilator;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section illustration of a ridge ventilator having acable operating means according to the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective illustration of operating elements of thepresent cable operating means; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a plurality of theoperating elements along with a longitudinal cap member.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a typical building 10 havinga pitched roof 11. A ridge ventilator 12 is shown in position along theridge of the pitched roof 11. The ridge ventilator 12 has a casingformed from longitudinal side walls 13, end walls 14. A generallyhorizontal ventilator opening 15 is defined by the upper edges of theopposed side walls 13 which serve as a suction band for the ventilator.

A typical ridge ventilator is presented in FIGURE 2 wherein the ridgeventilator 12 has side walls 13 and end walls 14 which are preferablyfabricated from corrosion-resistant coated metal sheets. The ventilator12 includes a pair of chimney plates 16, each of which has a flashingflange 17 adapted .to overlie a pitched roof, a vertical chimney wall 18and an outwardly directed stiffening flange 19. The side walls 13 arenormally secured to the chimney plates 16 by means of metal screws 20,rivets, or similar fastening means. A ridge opening (also called athroat or chimney) in the building roof 11 is designated by the numeral21. The vertical chimney plates 18 represent an upward continuation ofthe ridge opening 21.

A ridge cap damper 22 has a ridged cross-section and is adapted forvertical movement between the side walls 13 from (a) a lowermostposition wherein the ridge cap member 22 is in substantial contact withthe upper rims 23 of vertical chimney walls 18 to (b) an uppermostposition substantially as illustrated in FIGURE 2 approximately midwaybetween the upper rims 23 and the horizontal ventilator opening 15. Whenthe ridge cap member 22 is in the position shown in FIGURE 2 (i.e., theuppermost position), a gas flow passageway as indicated by the largearrows is provided from the interior of the building through the ridgeopening 22, between the vertical chimney walls 18 around the outer edgesof ridge cap member 22 and outwardly through the generally horizontalventilator opening 15. The ridge cap member 22 serves at all times as abafiie to prevent atmospheric moisture and debris from entering into theinterior of the building through the ridge opening 21, regardless ofwhether the ridge cap member 22 is in its uppermost or lowermostposition or any intermediate position. A plurality of drain holes 24 isprovided in the side wall 13 adjacent to the vertical chimney plates 16to permit drainage of accumulated moisture and debris from the interiorof the ventilator onto the outer surface of the pitched roof of thebuilding.

The present invention concerns cable operating means for raising andlowering and for holding at a selected elevation the ridge cap member22. The present invention will be described by reference to FIGURES 3, 4and 5.

The present invention The present ridge ventilator includes chimneyplates 16 having a flashing flange 17 which is secured to a pitched roof11 above a ridge opening 21. The chimney plates 16 have a verticalchimney wall 18 and a stiffening flange 19 extended outwardly from anupper rim 23. A plurality of chimney braces 25 extend between thevertical chimney walls 18 and are secured thereto preferably by means ofbolts passing through apertures 26 in the ears 27 of the chimney braces25. Side walls 13 may be formed as illustrated with a vertical centralportion 28, an inwardly sloping upper portion 29, a vertical ventilatoropening portion 30 and an outwardly extended stilfener flange 31, aninwardly sloping lower portion 32, a vertical chimney portion 33 and astiffener flange 34. Thus the casing is wider in its central portionthan at its upper end (ventilator opening) or at its lower end (ridgeopening). The opposed side walls 13 are secured to each other by meansof a brace member 36. The side walls 13 are secured to the verticalchimney walls 18 by means of threaded fasteners 37 which extend throughthe vertical chimney portions 33. The side Walls 13 are secured to theroof 11 by means of external struts 38. The brace members 36 and thestruts 38 preferably are formed from steel bars. The brace member 36includes a horizontal strut 39 having apertured ears 40 and a dependingbrace 41 having aperture flanges 42 and a central base 43 which ispreferably welded to the horizontal strut 39.

A screen 44 preferably is secured to the horizontal struts 39 andextends across the entire ventilator opening to prevent ingress ofbirds, debris, etc.

The ridge cap member 22 has a width greater than the distance betweenthe vertical chimney walls 18 and has terminal flanges 45 which extendbelow the upper rim 23 when the cap member 22 is in its lowermostposition as shown in FIGURE 3. The uppermost position of the cap member22 is shown in phantom outline in FIGURE. 3.

Cable operating means Two or more of the chimney braces are providedwith a vertical tube 48 which is centrally welded to the horizontalbrace 25. An aperture 49 is provided in the horizontal brace 25 toreceive a cable length 50 which is terminated by a knot 51 or a clamp orsimilar fastening means.

Slideably mounted within the vertical tube 48 is a generally verticalshaft 52 having a cable pulley 53 welded at its bottom end andterminating at its upper end in a threaded stud end position 54. A ridgebrace 55 is centrally apertured to slip over the threaded stud portion54. A ridge cap 56 is likewise centrally apertured tofit over thethreaded stud 54 and finally a nut 57 is provided to be threadedlyengaged on the stud portion 54. The cable pulley 53 and the shaft 52comprise a unitary subassembly which is vertically reciprocable in thetube 48.

From FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the ridge brace 55 fits beneath theridge cap member 22 and the cap member 56 lies above the cap member 22.When the nut 57 is threaded onto the stud 54, the cap member 22 and thevertical shaft 52 comprise an integral suhassembly.

A fixed pulley 58 is welded to the vertical tube 48 or to the chimneybrace 25 and is adapted to receive the cable length 50.

In FIGURE 5, there is illustrated an overall integral subassembly of theridge cap member 22 and the plurality of generally vertical shafts 52.It will be seen that the ridge cap member 22 is comprised of a number ofgenerally rectangular sheets which are lapped and joined by means ofscrews 60, for example, which joins the sheets 22a, 22b. The ventilatoralso includes a fixed pulley 61 which is secured to the casing of theventilator or to the building 10 adjacent to an end wall 14 of theventilator as seen in FIGURE 5. A lengthwise cable 62 passes over the.pulley 61 and extends generally horizontally lengthwise of theventilator 12 and also depends from the pulley 61 into the interior ofthe building 10. Each of the cable lengths 50 is secured to thelengthwise cable 62 by means of a suitable cable connector 63. Thelengthwise cable 62 extends horizontally parallel with the ridge to theconnecter 63 of the cable length 50 which is associated with the bracemembers 25 which is most remote from the cable pulley 61.

Thus it will be seen that a vertical downward pull on the depending end62 of the lengthwise cable 62 will pull all of the cable connectors 63towards the right in FIGURE 5 thereby shortening the length of eachcable length by the same amount. Shortened cable lengths 50 raise thevertical shafts 52 and the cap member 22 which is integral with thevertical shafts 52.

The depending cable end 62' may be anchored at any position whereby theridge cap 22 may be maintained at its uppermost position, its lowermostposition or any desired intermediate position. A single lengthwise cablewill successfully operate a ridge ventilator according to this inventionin lengths of 100 feet of ridge or more. Motorized winding, unwindingand fastening of the pepending end 62' of the lengthwise cable can beconveniently arranged.

An outstanding feature of this invention is the ready accessibility ofthe moving components in contrast to the relative inaccessibility ofcomponents of prior art ridge ventilators. A workman desiring access tothe working elements can gain access by removing the selected length ofscreen 44, and thereafter selectively removing the nuts 57, ridge caps56, and screws which secure the particular section of the ridge capmember 22 which requires maintenance, repair or removal.

In ventilators of this invention, the ridge openings 21 may vary fromabout four inches width to about two feet width. A highly eflicientridge ventilator as herein described had a ridge opening 21 of sixinches width and a length of fifty feet. A single cable(three-eighths-inch diameter steel cable) operated the entire length ofthe ridge cap. The side walls 13, end walls 14 and the'ridge cap 22 werefabricated from zinc-coated steel sheets which had been protected withbituminous coated asbestos covering. The ridge cap weighed about 78pounds. The ridge cap could be raised by a pull of about fifty pounds onthe cable end.

I claim:

In a ridge ventilator for a building comprising an elongated casingadapted to be mounted upon a roof ridge and to form the suction band ofthe ventilator, said casing being provided with an outlet at its upperend and with an inlet at its lower end, said inlet communicating withthe interior of the building and being defined by a pair of spaced-aparthorizontal lips parallel with the said ridge, said casing being wider inits central portion than at its upper end of its lower end, a cap membermovably mounted within the casing and being wider than the said inletand wider than said outlet and being adapted in its lowermost positionto close the said inlet by overlying the said horizontal lips, andoperating means supported by the said casing for moving the cap membervertically from said lowermost position to various positions where- 1nan air passageway is provided within the said casing sequentiallythrough the said inlet, around the side edges of said cap member andthrough the said outlet, the said cap member being an obstacle tostraight-line flow of air from the interior of said building throughsaid inlet and then through said outlet, the improvement in saidoperating means which comprises:

a plurality of brace members extended transversely across the saidinlet, a fixed pulley secured to each of said brace members, separatesupport shafts each vertically reciprocably mounted to each of saidbrace members, the upper end of each shaft being secured to the said capmember above the said inlet, a reciprocating pulley rigidly secured thebottom of each support shaft, 7

a cable pulley for an operating cable secured to one end of the saidcasing,

a separate cable length connected to each of the brace members at oneend and extended downwardly therefrom through the said reciprocablepulley and thence upwardly through the said fixed pulley and thence to acable connector,

an operating cable extending from the interior of the building over thesaid cable pulley and thence generally horizontally below the said lipsand parallel with the said ridge to the connector of the cable lengthassociated with the brace member most remote from the said cable pulley,

all of the said connectors being secured to the said operating cablewhereby lengthwise movement of the said operating cable creates tensionin each cable length, thereby raising each of the said support shaftsand also raising the said cap member vertically above the said inlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EDWARD J.MICHAEL, Primary Examiner.

JOHN F OCONNOR, Examiner.

